Midway assessment

Purpose

The main purpose of the arrangement is to help the PhD-candidate by identifying potential risks for the project to halt or become delayed. The assessment is also meant to enhance the quality of the thesis by providing input.

Responsible

The department’s management (head of department, PhD coordinator or head of research) has the main responsibility for the midway evaluation. The person who performs the midway evaluation ought to be the person who conducts the performance assessment interviews with the PhD fellows to ensure continuity and good follow-up of both academic and career-linked aspects.  

Requirements

The Midway evaluations must be carried out as a seminar or a meeting, or a combination and focus on the individual candidate's doctoral project. Sensitive feedback must be given in a closed forum or by personal communication.

Midway evaluations are conducted in the form of a presentation by the candidate. Ahead of the midway evaluation, the candidate must submit a written report to a committee that has been appointed by the person responsible for the midway evaluation. There must be a minimum of three persons on the committee; for example, the PhD coordinator, the main supervisor and the cosupervisor. This report should provide an account of the candidate’s status in respect of both work on the thesis and the training component. In addition, the report must provide an explicit account of any methodological and/or ethical challenges in the work. 

Follow-up when progress is satisfactory 

A report must be written summarising the midway evaluation, with a plan for how the candidate will be able to submit an academically good thesis within the prescribed time. The report must state the names of the persons present.

 Follow-up in case of delayed progression

Should the midway evaluation indicate that the candidate is not making satisfactory progress, a more detailed follow-up plan should be drawn up that includes a follow-up meeting to be held within six months. At the follow-up meeting, the midway evaluation committee must assess whether the follow-up plan is being followed. If the committee concludes that it is highly unlikely that the project will be completed, the head of department will contact the chair of the programme board for the PhD programme. Any information provided can be included in a discussion about terminating the course of study. 

The report should include the following:

• Who has done the evaluation
• Completed courses and dissemination activities
• Manuscripts in progress and manuscripts submitted
• Challenges
• Follow-up/measures to be executed (if applicable)
• Other comments